Out of the Mines
by an unexpected party
Summary: How Celaena is rescued from the mines by Dorian and Chaol, from Chaol's point of view.
1. Chapter 1

**My take on how Chaol reacted to Celaena when she came out of the mines. **

**I do not own any of the characters nor the main story. All credit to those go to the lovely Sarah J. Maas. Some of the diolage comes directly out of Throne of Glass.**

Chaol hated traveling. It wasn't so much the act of traveling itself, more the fact that there was so many more opportunities for their group to be attacked. Plus it didn't help that he was not looking forward to the destination, nor was he fond of who they were going to see. But they had been traveling for over two weeks, and they had reached the end of their journey. Chaol glanced over at the Crowned Prince. Dorian was looking up at the giant wall of Endovier with a look of dislike on his face. Chaol couldn't blame him; the wall was huge and dead looking, seeming to glance down at the men before it with boredom, as if it had more pressing things to look at on the other side. Chaol had sent a small party ahead of them to inform the overseers of their arrival, and when the doors opened for the prince and his guards, Chaol knew that the party had reached Endovier safely.

Dorian was silent as they passed through the door, but he had been silent for most of the trip. Chaol didn't say anything either as they passed into the mouth of the wall. It was late in the afternoon, and as the party reached the other side of the wall, Chaol could hear the sounds of misery and the crack of a whip, the days work having started a long time ago. Death was everywhere, and the few slaves who were out in the giant yard looked broken and battered, with eyes that were glassed over. Chaol suppressed a shiver. He had no way of knowing if Celaena Sardothien was as broken as the others were.

Celaena. Probably the most notorious assassin in the world. Chaol knew almost nothing about her, only that she had been captured a year ago and had killed more men than Chaol cared to think about.

"Gods, what a shit hole."

Chaol looked over at Dorian, who had a look of disgust on his face. "This… this hell...oh, Gods."

Chaol had to agree. He had imagined Endovier many times on their journey here, but he had never imagined it this grotesque. But however gresume he found the mines, Chaol was here on a mission, and he wouldn't let stray thoughts interrupt their goal.

Their small group was intercepted by four men armed with swords, daggers, and lethal looking crossbows. They surveyed the group, and when their eyes landed on Dorian, all four of them bent into low bows. They exited their bows, and the largest, the leader, got right to business. "Work has been going on for several hours now, and the assassin is in one of the farthest mines. We can get her now, or you can wait till work ends and get cleaned up while you wait."

Dorian smiled. "Lets go with the second option. I could use some rest." The overseer bowed. "Your highness."

Their party dismounted, and Dorian and most of their guard were led to a small house. Chaol stayed behind, wanting to find out as much about the assassin as he could before he met her. Chaol walked toward the large overseer. "Chaol Westfall, Captain of the Royal Guard."

"Benjin Lark, Head Overseer at this death pit." Chaol gave a short laugh as they shook hands. "So… here to rescue the young assassin, are you?" the overseer remarked upon dropping their hands. "Yes. The prince believes that she is needed at the palace." Benjin snorted. "Good luck getting her to do anything." Chaol looked quizzically at the overseer. "Why? Is she broken?" Lark laughed. "Oh, no. Not like most of the slaves, anyway. She's... had her spots, though." Benjin turned to the captain, suddenly very serious. "Don't ever underestimate her. She is the most brutal killing machine I have ever seen, and I live in Endovier. She'll skin you alive if she can, so keep away from her. If I didn't know better, I would say that she's Death, come to judge us all." Chaol knew that Sardothien was an assassin, one of the most feared, but he had thought, hoped, that she would have at least been dampened in the endless mines. "have you seen her in action?" Benjin laughed cruelly. "Oh yes. About… three months after she landed here, she exploded. Killed her overseer and 23 guards. It was total blood shed." Chaol stared at the man in shock. "She… she tried to escape?" he managed to get out.

"If you want to call it one. She never tried to make a break for the doors. Best attempt we've ever seen, though. Usually, escapes only make it three feet. She made it over three hundred. She killed some of my best men, with nothing but two swords. She got a finger tips away from touching the wall. She cut everyone down in her path. I'm surprised she ever got caught and sent here."

23 men? Chaol didn't say anything. He had come to rescue one of the worst criminals in Adarlan, offer her her freedom… he hadn't come to negotiate with a cold-blooded, heartless killer. Although, he didn't know what else he should have expected. At that moment, Chaol wanted nothing more than to grab Dorian and his guards and get the hell out of Endovier. But he couldn't. Dorian needed a champion, and the Prince was determined to have Celaena.

Chaol gave a short nodded to the overseer, made some excuse about needing to see to the prince, and made his way towards the house was small and dark with narrow hallways and small rooms. Chaol walked through it, going up and down its many flights of stairs and was soon familiar with all the exits and routes through it. The walls were thin and easy to hear through. Chaol hoped that would discourage the assassin from trying to escape. After a good half hour of walking through the house, Chaol went to the rooms that had been set aside for the Prince and his guards. Not that they would be staying here, Chaol reminded himself.

Chaol entered the spacious room to find Dorian wiping his face down with a wet towel. "There you are! I was beginning to think that you had fled from the camp." Chaol snorted at Dorian's greeting. "Yes, and leave you here to rot. No, I was simply taking witht the head overseer." Dorian looked up. "Find out anything interesting?" Chaol lend against the wall next to the door. "The overseer says that she's sane, although I want to test that before we take her out of here." Chaol wondered if he should tell Dorian about Sardothien's trip to the wall. He decided against it.

"Has she caused anymore trouble since coming here?" Dorian inquired. "Well, she hasn't stopped her killing, if that's what you mean." Dorian nodded. "I guess I didn't expect her to go quietly. I guess I just hoped that she… I don't know… had some kind of soul or conscious?" Chaol watched his friend struggle with words. "I know what you mean." Chaol said, simply.


	2. Chapter 2

A knock sounded from the door. Chaol instantly straightened and beckoned the guards on either side of the door to open it. A small group of guards stood outside. They all bowed upon seeing Dorian. "Rise, and tell us your news", the prince demanded. One of the guards in the front of the group stepped forward. "Work for the day is about to conclude. If you wish, you may come escort the assassin here." Dorian nodded. "My Captian of the Gaurd, Chaol, will go with you. As soon as you have her in your possession, wash her up and then bring her to me." Chaol bowed. "Of course, your highness."

Chaol turned away from his friend. In truth, Chaol did not want to go meet the assassin. He wanted nothing more than to leave. If he went with the guards, there would be no turning back. While he wanted Celaena to be insane, Chaol had a feeling that she wasn't. She had survived a year in Endovier, a place he couldn't stand (and he had only been present in for a couple hours). But of course, Chaol couldn't leave. Dorian wouldn't, not without Celaena. So with a reluctant mind, Chaol followed the small guard out of the house and toward the mines.


	3. Chapter 3

If Chaol hated the look of the few slaves that had been in the yard earlier, it was nothing compared to the endless streams of them coming out of the mines now. They all looked so broken, dead inside. Chaol suppressed a shudder. _Please, _he found himself thinking, _please let Celaena be this broken_. He instantly felt horrible. Chaol would never wish such horrid and afful things on anyone, even if they were assassins.

The guards led Chaol to one of the farthest mines from the yard. Slaves were still streaming out like little ants being marched to their death. Chaol pulled up his hood. Any advantage he could get over the assassin that he could, he would take.

The large overseer that stood guard over the entrance to the mine walked up to their small group, looking Chaol up and down. Chaol gave a small bow. "Chaol Westfall, Captain of the Royal Guard." The overseer gave a knowing nod. "She should be coming up."

And there she was. His first impression of her was how young she looked. His second was how whole she looked. She didn't look broken at all. The assassin looked him up and down, giving a small frown.

She was so dirty. Her skin was coated in a layer of grit and salt, and the _smell!_ Chaol had never smelled something so vial. The six guards that had been looking after her in the mines handed her off to the group Chaol was apart of. And although his nose protested, Chaol put a firm hand on her arm, grabbing her a little too hard.

Celaena didn't say anything to him, but Chaol could feel her eyes on him as they walked out of the mines and into the yard. Even though the sun was setting, the assassin still blinked in the light. Chaol couldn't imagine not being out in the sun for a year. _No sympathy_, Chaol thought, gripping Celaena's arm a little harder. _She _earned _her spot in the mines. _

The assassin turned to him. "You're a long way from Rifthold, Captain." Chaol held back his surprise. He knew he shouldn't be; she had probably heard him introduce himself to her overseer. She cleared her throat. "Did you come with the army I heard thumping around earlier?"

Chaol had no idea what she was talking about, but he didn't want her to know that.

"What do you care for the armies of Adarlan?"

"Nothing" she said, shrugging. Chaol growled. He didn't take too kindly to anyone insulting his kingdom.

Celaena continued to look at Chaol. He didn't particularly like it. She stared at him like a wolf would a lamb. Chaol instantly understood how she had become such an accomplished assassin. But while she looked at him like a predator, she still had some air of humanity in her. She wasn't the heartless monster Chaol thought he would find.

She was still staring at him.

_Keep it together, keep it together._

He couldn't stand it. "Don't you look at me like that."

Chaol dragged Celaena into the small house. He didn't want the assassin to be able to get out of the house to easily, so he instantly turned down one of the hallways. He lead her all over the house, going down hallways just to turn around and go back down them, going up and down the same flight of stairs several different times.

"Where are we going again?" the assassin inquired a little too sweetly. Chaol said nothing, not wanting to give her any information. Celaena gave a small huff at not having her answer questioned, but Chaol didn't particularly care.

After walking around the house for a few more minutes, Chaol decided that it was safe to let her see Dorian. Chaol had been told to have Celaena cleaned up, but he had already spent a lot of time getting her and dragging her around the house that he decided that it could probably wait. And, not to mention, Chaol didn't really want to do anything for the assassin.

Their party walked up to the double doors that lead to Dorian. Chaol gave a small nod to the guards that stood on either side of the doors. The guards stomped their spears in greeting, also informing anyone inside of their presence. The doors opened, and Chaol moved to enter the room.

Celaena wouldn't move.

Chaol hadn't realized how much the assassin had allowed herself to be lead here until she wouldn't move. Chaol held in his irritation.

"You'd rather stay in the mines?" trying to sound more amused than annoyed.

"Perhaps if I were told what this was all about, I wouldn't feel so inclined to resist."

"You'll find out soon enough." Chaol did not want to give her any information on what was laying ahead. Maybe his holding back knowledge would make her sweat.

She still wasn't moving. "In here," Chaol said a little unkindly. Celaena took a deep breathe and walked in to meet the prince. And Chaol was struck by how strong she must be, to come out of the mines with her wits still around her.

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**Hey everyone! Let me know what you think... I can't get better if I don't get feedback, and I always love to hear from you.**


	4. Chapter 4

This was the part of the plan that he had not been looking forward to, and Chaol tensed as Sardothien stroud into the room. He had not liked the idea of Dorian in the same room as the assassin, and liked the idea even less with her here. The room was laid out just as it had been when he had checked it earlier. Smooth floors, with the grapevine chandelier still glowing. His hand tight around her arm, Chaol felt Celaena tense. So strong, still, even after a year in hell… Chaol shoved her with his free arm. "In here." No, he did not want to think about anyone in the mines, even if it was Adarlan's Assassin.

_She deserves it, she deserves it._

But no matter how many times Chaol said it to himself, the words never seemed to ring true. But Chaol couldn't think about his opinions of the assassin, not with her standing in front of his best friend and future king.

Chaol bowed to Dorian. "Your Highness." When Chaol was younger, he had refused to bow to his friend. Dorian had liked him immensely for it, finally finding someone who didn't try to instantly make him happy. Now, however, Chaol bowed to Dorian out of respect and love, out of friendship. And Dorian liked him a whole lot better for that, too.

Chaol put his hood down. Though he had put it up to withhold information from the assassin and also to intimidate her, there was no way he would be able to keep that up if she was going to be coming back with them to the capital.

Celaena was staring at him, blinking. She tilted her head, as if confused or appealed by him. Chaol repressed a shudder.

"This is she?" Chaol nodded as Celaena whipped her head around to look at Dorian. And while Chaol had hated the assassin's eyes on him, he hated them even more on his prince. Both Chaol and Dorian waited for her to bow, to show her respect to her future ruler.

She did no such thing.

She simply stood there, looking at Dorian and Chaol, taking in the rest of the room from the corner of her eye. Dorian turned his head to look at Chaol, as if to ask for his input. Chaol, not knowing what to do himself, simply stood there. Dorian lifted his chin a little higher, as if to look more important and not at all flustered by the assassin's lack of respect.

From behind Chaol came thundering steps. Chaol almost whipped around and pulled out his sword until he saw Duke Perrington, who had taken a back seat in Choal's head, grabbed the assassin and forced her to the floor, pushing her body against the ground.

"That is the proper way to greet your future king."

Dorian and Chaol made eye contact over Perrington's back. While Chaol did not like the reason behind the assassin being here, the captain understood the importance behind the meeting, how much Dorian was counting on her.

The assassin hissed. _hissed._

Chaol had heard quite a few un-human-like sounds in his life, but the hiss that passed through the assassin's lips was one of the most inhuman sounds he had ever heard. From the look on Dorian's face, the prince had the same view. But Dorian didn't stay focused on the sound.

After a long moment in which it looked like Perrington would hold down the assassin til Dorian told him to let go, the Prince cleared his throat.

"I don't quite comprehend why you'd force someone to bow when the purpose of the gesture is to display allegiance and respect." The Prince's words dripped with boredom, something the prince had had plenty of time practicing with the court. Both the Prince and the Captain looked down at the assassin. "It's clear that you respect me, Duke Perrington, but it's a bit unnecessary to put such effort into forcing Celaena Sardothien to have the same opinion. You and I know very well she has no love for my family. So perhaps your intent is to humiliate her." Dorian paused, leaning in to get a better look at the young woman's face.

"But I think she's had enough of that."

Again the Prince paused, this time looking over at the Duke, whose face had become rather red at the Prince's comments. "Don't you have a meeting with Endovier's treasurer? I wouldn't want you to be late, especially when you came all this way to meet with him." The Duke grunted as he rose from his crotch, and bowed as he left the room. The young assassin, Celaena Sardothien, picked herself up from off the floor and faced Dorian. Chaol watched as his prince looked into the eyes of a survivor, of one who had been beaten bloody and had lived through it.

Chaol hoped that he would never have to face this forged weapon in any form of battle. For he knew that he would lose, not because of a failure in his skill, but because she would never let herself loose.

**Sorry I haven't posted in a long time... life got really busy all of a sudden**


	5. Chapter 5

The assassin stared hard at Dorian. Chaol suppressed the urge to drag her out of the room. He thought he had disliked the idea of his future king in the same room as this...girl, but he realised that he didn't dislike the idea; he loathed it. She was so young and she had lived a year in hell and she came out of it with her teeth bared and her mind at the ready.

And she was so young!

Sardothien looked down at the floor that had been clean before Perrington had forced her to kneel. A dirty imprint of the assassins face and arms could be seen. She frowned at the stain. Chaol had no idea what was going through the young girl's… no, woman's head. Was she really worrying about the dirt on her? Was she really so vain? She lived in a death camp, by gods, mining all day and laying in her filth all night. Of course she was going to be dirting!

Sardothien tossed her long braid behind her back and looked up, into the eyes of the Prince. Dorian smiled back at her, but not his natural smile. This was the smile Dorian used when at court, whenever he had to look the part of the crowned Prince. The two stared at each other for a long second before either of them finally spoke.

"I thought I asked you to clean her." Chaol stood up a little straighter. He had been planning on taking her to the baths, but he had spent too much time walking her around and around this house. "I didn't want to keep you waiting."

Chaol reached out to grab the assassin. If Dorian wanted her cleaned up, then he would make sure it happened. But Dorian shook his head at the Captain, and Chaol stopped in his tracks. "Don't bother just yet. I can see her potential." Chaol straightened and took a small step back as Dorian straightened himself on the small throne they had given him.

"I don't believe that we've ever had the pleasure of an introduction. But, as you probably know, I'm Dorian Havilliard, Crown Prince of Adarlan, perhaps now Crown Prince of most of Erilea." Chaol watched the assassin, because while no one deserved the title of Crown Prince of Erilea more than Dorian, he didn't think that Celaena Sardothien would quite agree with him.

" And you're Celaena Sardothien, Adarlan's greatest assassin. Perhaps the greatest assassin in all of Erilea." Dorian paused to look her over. "You seem so young. I've heard some rather fascinating stories about you. How do you find Endovier after living in such excess in Rifthold?"

Chaol knew that it had been part of the plan to see if they could set Sardothien's anger off, but now looking at her, Chaol didn't want to see her get mad. He had heard so much… she had killed so many people. And after hearing about her attempted escape, Chaol wanted nothing more then to but her deep into the ground where she couldn't kill anyone else.

If Chaol hadn't been paying close attention, he would have missed the flash of hatred in the assassin's eyes. "I couldn't be happier." it was the sound of a lethal cat purring as it played with its kill.

"After a year, you seem to be more or less alive. I wonder how that's possible when the average life expectancy in these mines is a month." Dorian leaded back into his chair, studying the girl.

"Quite a mystery, I'm sure", the assassin retorted back.

Dorian raised his eyebrows and turned to Chaol. "she has somewhat of a tongue doesn't she? And she doesn't sound like a member of the rabble."

"I should hope not!" Both men turned back to the assassin in surprise. Chaol bristled at the assassin's lack of respect. Even if she didn't like Dorian, he was still her Prince, and he deserved the highest respect.

"Your Highness." Chaol snapped at the assassin. Celaena look sideways at the Captain, seeming to be utterly confused "What?"

Chaol stood a little straighter. "You will address him as 'Your Highness.'" The smile the assassin gave Chaol could give Dorian a run for his mocking smile. She turned back to face the prince as if she hadn't heard Chaol at all. Dorian laughed at her. _Laughed._

Gods, she was going to kill them all. And it would be Chaol's fault for trying to get her angry.

"You do _know_ that you're now a slave, don't you? Has your sentence taught you nothing?" shut up Dorian, shut up shut up _shut up!_ Oh, she was going to murder them all and then run off into the sunset.

"I don't see how working in a mine can teach anything beyond how to use a pickax." and once again Chaol had to repress his feelings of guilt and empathy towards the girl. And she was only 18…

Dorian leaned forward in his chair. "And you never tried to escape?" Chaol wished Dorian hadn't brought that up, because the last thing Chaol wanted to do was remind Aderlan's Assassin of everything she was capable of.

The smile Celaena gave Dorian would have made the King proud. "Once."

Dorian's eyebrows rose as he turned to Chaol. "I wasn't told of this." _Because I didn't want you to know. I didn't want you to have to live with this image of blood and death in your mind._

"The Chief Overseer informed me this afternoon that there was _one_ incident. Three months-"

"Four months." _Like it mattered._

"Four months after Sardothien arrived, she attempted to flee." And she came so close, just a couple of inches to the wall. So close… and yet, she was closer to her freedom right now, here in the Overseers quarters, than she had been when she ran to the wall.

**Next chapter to come as soon as I can find enough time! Don't forget to comment... always love hearing from you all.**


	6. Chapter 6

I am so so so sooooo sorry for not posting sooner! I need to start posting on a regular basest. I'm gonna try to post ever Tuesday and/or Friday so that I can get this story along and moving.

I own nothing, all hail Sarah J. Maas for this amazing story and her wonderful characters.

"That's not even the best part!"

After Chaol had made it apparent that he would not be continuing with her story, the assassin jumped in, seemingly infuriated by Chaol's lack of enthusiasm.

Dorian's eyes flicked slightly towards the Captain. "There's a 'best part'?" The prince seemed almost pained to say it, to be interested in anything remarkably violent that came from this girl.

Chaol glared at the assassin. Damn the fool... "There's no hope of escaping from Endovier. Your Father made sure that each of Endovier's sentries could shoot a squirrel from two hundred paces away. To attempt to flee is suicide." And yet, here she is, still breathing.

The Prince seemed to have the same thought. "But you're still alive."

Dorian had never experienced anything like this. Neither had Chaol for that matter, but he had seen hopelessness and despair, true hatred. Chaol had gone swimming in the pool of ugly human emotions, and Dorian had maybe dipped his toe in it. He understood it, the King made sure, but Dorian had never lived it.

The young women in front of them lived in it, thrived on it, seemed to know nothing else.

The assassin seemed to fully remember the incident as her smile faded. "Yes."

Dorian leaned forward, almost against his will. "What happened?"

Chaol almost groaned. He didn't want to encourage the assassin anymore than they already had.

The assassin's eyes grew cold and hard, a shield thrown up in front of them. "I snapped."

Her reply infuriated Chaol. She had killed over twenty people, without any hint of remorse. She had killed men who had dedicated their lives to keeping the rest of the world safe from the rebels and enemies that lay in the mines. That kept the world safe from people like her. He snapped back at her without even thinking. "That's all you have to offer as an explanation for what you did?" Chaol turned to Dorian. "she killed her overseer and twenty-three sentries before they caught her. She was a finger's tip from the wall before the guards knocked her unconscious." Chaol sent a silent thanks to whatever gods had stop her. He felt sick at what he was doing now, letting her out of her very secure cage. Chaol wanted to leave, grap Dorian and head back to the capital where he didn't have to worry about assassins or slaves and the horrible sounds coming up from the mines…

"So?"

Dorian's stuck up response seemed to infuriate the assassin to no end. "So? Do you know how far the wall is from the mines?" Dorian just stared blankly at her. Sardothien closed her eyes and sighed very over-the-top. "From my shaft, it was three hundred and sixty-three feet. I had someone measure." Of course she had someone measure, Chaol thought. She was proud and brash and full of herself... and alive.

Again, the only thing Dorian said in reply was "So?"

She turned to the Captain with such rage in hers eyes, and Chaol really, really, really wanted this all to end and to go back to the Capital. "Captain Westfall, how far do slaves make it from the mines when they try to escape?"

"Three feet." He mumbled. He didn't really feel like feeding her pride. "Endovier sentries usually shoot a man down before he's moved three feet."

Dorian didn't say anything as he stared at the assassin. Maybe he would think better of this. Maybe this meeting with the assassin would make him realize that this was a fool's mission, that they couldn't bring Adarlan's Assassin back with them, couldn't train her all over again. He wanted to be able to sleep well at night, to not have to always be looking over his and Dorian's shoulder. But Dorian didn't turn to the Captain, didn't tell him to pack up and head out. Instead, he stayed looking at the girl.

"You knew it was suicide." Dorian actually seemed as if he cared, as if her mental well being was his concern.

The assassin didn't move as she replied with only a simple "Yes."

"But they didn't kill you." This fact had eaten at Chaol as well. She was the lowest of the low, someone who killed people for money, someone who deserved to die, who was put into these mines so that she would die. And yet, when her life could have so easily ended, she was left alive.

Her reply shocked Chaol, but it did not surprise him.

"Your father ordered that I was to be kept alive for as long as possible- to endure the misery of Endovier gives in abundance." The light in the girls eyes grew colder. "I never intended to escape."

A chill went down Chaol's spin. Yes, he hated this girl, this weapon of death, but she was still a girl, a young women. While Chaol wanted her dead, wanted her whipped off the face of the world, no one should have to face this type of never-ending torture.


End file.
